


Anachronism

by TheAzureFox



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: AU reinterpretation, Depression, F/F, Gen, One-Sided Attraction, PTSD, Queerplatonic relationship, Suicide, everyone suffers but wait, somehow a rewrite of the games but not
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-24 17:07:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21641422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAzureFox/pseuds/TheAzureFox
Summary: Gloria has been here before. She’s walked these roads, seen these buildings, met these Pokemon. But she has also seen these faces, these kind, kind faces whose once warm eyes have now turned cold from amnesia.And Gloria knows. She is a corpse resurrected by the pity of an unknown deity. She does not belong here any longer.Yet even the rules of mere mortals don’t stop the dead from craving for the living.
Relationships: Gloria & Bede, Gloria & Sonia, Gloria/Sonia, Hop & Gloria, Leon & Gloria, Marnie & Gloria, Nessa & Sonia, look there are a lot of & relationship tags okay
Comments: 22
Kudos: 131





	1. Hope Has Been Lost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the love of god, before you start reading this, I beg you to have played through Sword/Shield up until the point you become the Champion. Much of this fanfic hinges on the idea that the reader has a firm idea of what the SwSh plot is and expands upon that knowledge to form a narrative.
> 
> Also, for the sake of making this fanfic believable and because it seems cruel of me to assume Gloria/Hop/co. are sixteen as I usually do, Gloria is simultaneously 18 / 20 in this fanfic. And I say simultaneously for a reason that will soon be made evident enough if you haven’t caught on already :3c

* * *

_"Once I had a child_  
_She was smiling like sunshine_  
_She could see it all_  
_like she'd been here before."  
_(Here Before by Vashti Bunyan)

* * *

When does it begin? And, when does it end?

Gloria asks this question when she looks in the mirror, gaze meeting the image of a girl who is her and who is also not her.

Brown eyes and brown hair. It’s such a strange contrast to the blonde hair and blue eyes Gloria remembers. The image in the mirror is darker, unpure, as if tainted by something evil. Even the tanned white of her skin feels unnatural. It feels like she’s wearing the skin of someone else and has forgotten to shed it off.

Gloria spends much of her waking moments wondering, waiting, thinking and hoping. She reflects on all that she is. She reflects on all that she has become. Nothing has changed and, yet, it feels like life as she knows it has come for her throat, suffocating her until she wants to roll her eyes back into her sockets and flail like a body deprived of air.

She has been here before. She has walked through this house, has seen the sky outside, has counted the Wooloo frolicking outside her window to the exact number of fifty-three and has succeeded in predicting the coming of the most important events in the Galar region.

Even now, as a boy stands before her, welcoming her with the biggest grin she has ever seen ( _a grin that will one day falter, break, and then shatter completely_ ), she knows she has experienced this event once before. She recognizes the way his golden eyes glitter as he ushers her around the town called Postwick, recognizes how he fawns over his undefeatable brother with ceaseless praise, and how he calls himself Hop when she already knows his name.

“You’ll love Postwick!” He tells her, excitement positively bustling in his voice. “But you’ll love my big brother even more! He’s supposed to come down this weekend, after all, and I’ll _totally_ take you to come meet him when he does! That’s how cool I think you are!”

Gloria nods at him, not having the heart to tell him that the Champion will miss his infamous appointment with Hop, having been called away by the likes of the Chairman to deal with a gang of criminals. And, when her prediction comes true and Hop is left drowning his sorrows in a tub of ice cream, Gloria merely sits across from him, tapping her fingers on the polished wood of the table as she laments what is to come next.

The time spent into Postwick progresses as Gloria expects it to. Hop recovers from his bout of depression, smiling as he always does ( _too afraid to show that he is upset about his brother never coming home, too scared to disgust his closest friend by showing his obsessive need to cling to his brother for support_ ) as he grows close to Gloria. He shows her the sights and sounds, points to the Slumbering Weald and says it’s forbidden ( _what a tragedy, Gloria thinks with a pang in her heart, that she cannot meet her saviors sooner_ ), then digresses into conversations on curry and Wooloo herding.

Gloria humors him, as she always does, pretending that his conversations are things she has not heard a million times before. Hop does not notice her lack of excitement, however, perhaps just thinking that’s how she is.

( _But it’s not. Once upon a time she had stars in her eyes just like him, had worn a smile on her face and dabbled in his narratives like the child she was. But now she was different. Now she understands the world is not made from dreams and aspirations but from tragedies and despairs._

 _Gloria wishes she could tell Hop that, wishes she could warn him. But she holds her tongue, knowing better than to crush the hopeless dreams he wears like a mantle._ )

Days progress into weeks. Weeks into months. Months into years. Gloria grows and grows, becoming taller, thinner, shedding off baby fat while staring at herself in the mirror and mouthing, always: “I am not the same.”

She tells herself that a lot, sees the way the her in the mirror blinks owlish eyes in fright. Who is this specter who stares back at Gloria? Who is this brown-haired girl that wears the same expressions that Gloria does, who frowns and stares and scoffs and cries in the same way Gloria does? The girl does not know. Isn’t sure she _wants_ to know. Thinks that if she does know she’ll break down once again, sobbing into her arms and knees as she torments herself with thoughts of stuff she can no longer have.

( _Why do I look so different? She asks herself, asks the her in the mirror over and over until the question becomes a mantra. Why are my eyes and hair those colors?_

_Then, she moves on to other, more important questions like:_

_Why is Hop’s face so composed? Why is he so eager to hide things from me? Why does he think I won’t be able to handle the truth if he tells me?_

_But she knows. She knows why Hop hides himself from her, knows why he stops exactly before he says “I want to be like my brother” and diverts the subject into senseless babble before she can ask. Hop idolizes his brother, wants to be like him. But, he doesn’t want to be rejected, to be told he can’t achieve his dream by someone he’s always wearing his heart on his sleeve around. It hurts Gloria. Can’t he trust her? Can’t he open up to her, tell her the truth?_

_And she wants to ask, to scream, to tell him that he’s dumb, that his brother loves him, that Hop will_ **never** _become like his brother._

 _But this Hop would turn his back on her, would break down crying in solitude, would shatter like a fragile pot tipped over the edge, and Gloria can’t do anything but bottle the words she wants to say inside. He will learn. He will learn in time what’s coming for him. He won’t be Champion. He won’t beat his brother. Instead, he’ll lose his dreams and watch them crumble, his aspirations to be lost to a wildfire of roses and poison._ )

One day, the day that Gloria has always known to come, Hop tells her that his brother is coming to town. He promises her that he’s coming, that he’ll finally be here, and Gloria agrees with him, knowing that he is right. Hop is giddy, taking her down to the Wedgehurst station, and there they stumble upon Leon.

The sight almost makes Gloria cry.

( _Purple flames lick a tower made of stone. A man is collapsed on the ground, eaten by fire, unconscious all the while, while something towers over the man, over Gloria, parting its mouth with a haze of energy that threatens to-)_

“Charizard!” the man known as Leon shouts, striking his pose as his magnificent dragon roars in greeting to the crowd that has gathered before him.

( _Gloria remembers many things from that voice. She remembers kindness, warmth, optimism, sadness, and mourning. She remembers a hand too big to be her own on her shoulder, remembers the way the voice compliments her in the heat of battle, says her name and-_

_“Charizard! Protect them!”_

_And then she remembers the blood, the crunching of bones, the strangled cry of an immortal being made mortal as he finally meets his match. And she falls to her knees, crying out until her voice is hoarse, crying until she...until she…_ )

“Hey now,” a voice says, and a hand too big to be that of Hop’s lands on her shoulder. Gloria trembles as she looks up into the eyes of the man named “Leon”, of the man who she knows to be “Leon”. He’s smiling at her kindly, ever so kindly, and it takes all her restraint not to clutch him close and sob into his chest. “What’s got you so worked up?”

From Leon’s side, Hop is staring at her with wide eyes, looking flustered beyond belief as he watches the way tears roll down from Gloria’s cheeks. She rubs at her eyes with the gray sleeves of her sweater, shaking her head as she tries to stop herself from bawling any further.

“I just...I just remembered something sad.” She says.

“Here and now?” The man asks. He cocks his head. “What about?”

 _You._ She wants to tell him, to warn him, to make him cut ties with a man made from roses here and now. But the words won’t come out. She can’t say anything, can’t tell him about the madness this world will head towards. So she maintains her smile instead, saying: “Something from long ago.”

Leon nods, accepting her cryptic words before he beckons to the road that leads back to Postwick. “How about we go to my house and get you a nice meal? That sound good?”

She takes his offer with a polite bow of her head, not knowing how else to answer. Leon and Hop escort her back to Postwick but, before they leave Wedgehurst, Gloria pauses on the boundary line between it and Route 1, staring into the distance.

A purple building meets her eyes, tall and yet somehow lonely on the row of houses it sits upon. Gloria wonders about it, thinks about it, wants to dig her heels into the ground as Hop nudges her forward, about to tell him off, when she remembers a very critical thing.

She cannot linger in the past. That is the promise she has made to herself. She cannot - and will not - think about things made impossible.

( _But she knows what lies inside that building. Knows what her heart longs to see, to meet again, to talk to. Gloria knows and it hurts. She doesn’t want it to hurt. But it does._

_How lonely._

_The both of them were always lonely._ )

~~~

The world progresses as it always does. Leon comes claiming he has brought Pokemon for Hop and Gloria to take. He tosses out three Pokeballs, revealing the three creatures that Gloria has come to know for most of her life.

She makes her decision without hesitation, kneeling in front of the Pokemon known as Sobble. The blue lizard peers up at her, timid beyond belief, and yet it seems to sense something from her, perking up with a light in its eyes as it hobbles over to her. Gloria takes it in her arms, fascinated by the way it immediately grabs for her hat, and she finds herself almost to the point of crying as she bites her tongue and nearly asks:

_You remember me, don’t you?_

Her Sobble curls up against her, threading its tail around her neck as if to answer her unspoken question. She is immediately grateful for it, grateful for this one thing in her life, that Sobble _remembers_ , he actually _remem_ -

And then she recalls the sickening sound of something being punctured, lungs being blown out, a body wriggling without a head, and she is so close to losing it again then and there.

In a voice too quiet for the others to hear, she says: “I will protect you this time.”

Sobble blinks his beautiful blue eyes at her, tilting his head, and for a second she’s afraid she’s misjudged, that the Pokemon before her no longer is the one she remembers and oh god she’s made a mistake-

But then Sobble nods, slowly, ever so slowly, and the wisdom which flares in his eyes is enough for her to pluck him off her neck and hug him tight.

The moment of understanding is cut short by Hop’s insistence of a fight. Gloria obliges his request, fighting memories of an Inteleon torn to pieces as she battles against Hop’s Scorbunny. She wins the match somehow, feeling exhausted, and Leon congratulates the two of them.

“What a match.” He says. “I’m impressed.”

“Does that mean you’ll endorse me for the gym challenge?” Hop asks him, bouncing needlessly on the tips of his toes.

A sinking feeling enters Gloria’s heart.

“Not yet.” Leon says, rustling his brother’s hair. “But one day soon. First, however, you must pick up a Pokedex from Professor Magnolia.”

Gloria winces at the recollection of something awful. Orange hair curled into an outrageous ponytail, glittering green eyes sparkling with youth, painted nails made from emeralds and a smile that could decimate anything it-

And then Gloria squeezes her hands into fists and tries not to cry out when she feels her nails break through skin. She keeps up her facade of happiness, standing by Hop’s side as the boy begs his brother for permission to enter the league. Leon sends him off and on his way and Gloria is made to follow, trailing behind him as they enter onto the main road of Postwick.

_Crash!_

Gloria hears the noise she knows is coming and Hop rushes her over to the fence that blocks off entryway into the Slumbering Weald. There, they find that a Wooloo is missing and task themselves to find it. Hop rushes in before her, eager to find the Pokemon before it makes a mess of itself, but Gloria merely stands back, staring into the forest with knowing.

“Hello, Zacian, Zamazenta.” She bows to the forest, Sobble in her arms, and closes her eyes. “I’m here to see you again. Please treat me kindly.”

She sits like that for a minute, offering her respects, before she straightens to enter the forest. Sobble nuzzles against her as she does so, perhaps in an attempt to alleviate her unease, and then she continues on. Hop greets her on the way, running past her only to let her catch up. Then, he descends into the fog and she follows.

There, Zacian and Zamazenta come to greet her. Though they are not fully conscious, merely illusions that are projected in the mist, they seem to recognize both her and Hop. They keep their distance, however, as if sensing the script they must keep to, and then disappear into the mists.

However, in the haze of the fog, Gloria does not miss the way Zacian reappears before her, staring, its voice soft and gentle before it takes off to await her eventual return. It’s a nice feeling - one that almost sets her heart at ease - and when Hop comes to beside her, a hand rubbing at his temple, she fakes a look of agony as Leon comes running in to take them back home.

The Champion of Galar gives them a lecture, simultaneously praising them for their efforts to find Wooloo with their heedless attempt to go somewhere they shouldn’t have. Gloria listens to him prattle on, tuning him out when she’s already heard this lecture before, until he snags upon a peculiar name and Gloria’s attention is caught.

“My friend, Sonia, once went into those woods as a child,” Leon says, “and I’m sure you remember what happened to her. Right, Hop?”

_Sonia._

Leon said _Sonia_.

“She got messed up real bad, yes.” The boy sighs, rolling his eyes with a playful jab in Gloria’s direction that she bites back the urge to yell at for. “But look at us! We came out of it just fine!”

“For now.” Leon frowns. “But will happen if you pull this kind of stunt and I’m not here to help again? The real world is dangerous, I’ll have you know. And it will eat you up and swallow you whole if you’re not careful.”

Gloria pets Sobble’s fin, thinking of Leon’s words and the way they echo someone else’s.

( _“The Wild Area is a frightening place.” A woman says, staring into a vast wilderness as she hums to herself. Her gaze turns to Gloria, eyes a beautiful green, and continues with: “But that’s how the real world is. It’s a dangerous, dangerous place, always scary and always full of unknowns. Can you survive it, this world of constant suffering?”_

_And Gloria wants to say she can, to puff out her chest and tell this woman that she can survive whatever the world throws at her. She wants to brag and she wants to reassure, to have this woman look at her with pride and say: “That’s right, I knew you could.”_

_But the Gloria of the now is not the Gloria of the past. Instead, she is a Gloria of the future’s past, of a present that is no longer the present and a world that is too slow to remember. And so she ruminates on this woman’s words, thinking that, yes, the world is dangerous and, no, she was not equipped to handle it. She should’ve taken the warning more seriously, should’ve seen the fatigue in this woman’s eyes, should’ve said something-_

_But hindsight is 20/20._ )

Leon concludes his lecture with the punishment of finding Magnolia’s lab by themselves. Hop assures Gloria that he knows the way, whispering under his breath that the punishment is more fitting for his broken compass of a brother. Gloria doesn’t have the heart to tell him she already knows the way the professor’s lab, that Leon’s punishment is useless anyways without him. However, she bites down on her tongue yet again, afraid to let the words in her mouth leak lest she gives herself away.

Hop and her enter onto the main road of Postwick yet again, trekking through the tall grasses of Route 1 as a herd of Wooloo _baa_ them off the main path. Hop goes on ahead of her, eager to make his first catch, while Gloria stays behind to meander towards a hidden burrow tucked behind bushes of jade green.

It is there that an orange head streaked with black appears, sleepy eyes of gold peering upwards as a Nickit climbs his way out of the hole on the ground. He yawns, licking a paw, and then pauses to observe Gloria, tilting his head to watch her as she watches him.

“Thievul,” Gloria says, watching as the wary spark in its gaze simmers with uncertainty. “Thievul, do you remember me?”

The cub tilts his head, face devoid of emotion, before his gaze treks to the Sobble on her shoulders. He runs a paw through the dirt, yipping, and then leaps upwards to knock Sobble off her shoulder, claiming the spot as his perch. Gloria laughs at that, reaching a hand up to rub the cheeks of the Nickit. He coos, nuzzling against her, and ignores the playful tantrum Sobble throws as Gloria captures him in a ball.

 _(She remembers a fox made of copper and charcoal. She remembers a slithering apparition of a monster who has guided her and protected her with his life. That Pokemon - Thievul - had lived until the end, had curled around her neck and snarled his warnings until his life had been taken. Gloria can still remember the spray of blood that flooded from his head when he took a blow meant for her, can still remember the way he shot in front of an Escavalier to prevent an attack determined to_ **_kill_** _.)_

Gloria tucks his ball into his slot on her belt, hands moving on instinct to guide the sphere into place. It hangs heavily on her waist, like a reminder that she isn’t allowed to forget. She thanks her partner for remembering her, however, calling out to Sobble and clutching the Pokemon into her arms as he licks her hands.

The journey into Wedgehurst isn’t a long one. Gloria knows her way through the knots of grass enough to cross over sloping hills that lead to the destination she wants to be in. But to her surprise, Hop isn’t there to greet her when she enters the town: nor is his older brother.

It makes her feel disheartened, in a way, to know that neither of the siblings is here to join her in her moment of need. She can’t stop trembling as she approaches the towering gray spire that stands looming in the distance. She’s shaking so badly that even the townspeople notice, coming to ask her what’s wrong and she has to shake them off with: “I’m foreign, it’s cold” to get them to stop asking.

Sobble perches on her shoulder, his gaze heavy with knowing, and she is thankful for his presence at the very least. She is not totally alone in this sphere of reality. She is not totally forgotten. She’s only been laid to rest and recently resurrected, a corpse grown from the whims of a necromancer god to play her part like the little toy she is.

The building looms taller, ever closer, its presence daunting her. Gloria wants to turn tail and run, to flee and give up on this foolish mission of hers, to escape into the wilderness and say _c’est la vie_ to the sights and sounds of a research lab with a rooftop painted purple. But she steels herself, takes a deep breath at the entryway, knocks politely. No one comes to the door ( _but that is expected because_ **_she_ ** _has never come to the door but instead Gloria has always come to_ **_her_** ) so she opens it up anyways and steps inside.

A wafting smell of lavender greets her, the perfume of the scent making her wince. Sobble chitters on her shoulder, reassuring her, but she only gives it a grimace of a smile and steps inside.

A spacious area full of books consumes Gloria. Bookshelves line the walls of this place, full of countless novels and magazines and research notebooks tucked to the brim with paper bookmarks and stains from long ago. The only thing to break up the multi-colored monotony of the shelves is a giant glass container that contains an indoors greenhouse, the kitchen tucked to the left of the entryway, and the counter space to Gloria’s right left with an empty cup of coffee that has been heedlessly abandoned.

Gloria tries to ignore the quivering in her legs as she steps forward, gaze pulled straight to the walkway that sits at the halfway point of the house’s walls. However, much to her shock (or relief - it’s hard to tell which she feels more), there is no one sitting in that walkway.

( _Leon is at her side when she enters, admiring the cleanliness of the library and pinning the praise on an elderly woman Gloria has yet to meet. But Gloria doesn’t care much for the books or the smell of lavender staining the air. She’s here to get a PokeDex. She’s here to conquer the region and become the Champion, to knock Leon off his pedestal and stand at the top of the world._

_But when a blob of yellow shuffles up above on a wooden walkway, sighing loudly as the sound of a book snapping shut slithers in the air, Gloria finds herself unable to maintain her concentration._

_A red-haired woman rises from the walkway, a book tucked into the space between her arm and her waist as she turns around to greet the both of them, her voice pitched into a lilt of utter annoyance as she says-_ )

“Have you really come here to ask about another superstrong Pokemon? I really wish you would stop giving me these outlandish requests!”

The door jingles behind Gloria and, in a span of a second, she feels trapped, pinned to the wall as two individuals walk into the room of the laboratory. Sobble squirms on her shoulder, flattening the fin on his head and mimicking her surprise as he nervously darts his tongue in and out, in and out, in and out, just like her breaths-

“Gloria!” Leon’s boisterous voice sounds like a cacophony of noise. She tries her hardest not to shrink back and erase herself from existence at the racket of it. “There you are! We thought you’d gotten lost!”

She stares at the man, pointedly ignoring the lady tucked at his side as she gives a wavering smile. “No, not lost. Merely distracted. I found a Nickit and wanted to catch it.”

“Oh?” the woman speaks, forcibly drawing Gloria’s attention with the curious chime in her voice. “Then I’m guessing you’re the girl Leon has been chatting my ear off about?”

Gloria tries to swallow the nausea in her stomach as she meets this woman’s gaze, forcing her smile to grow bigger as her eyes meet that of a familiar face.

( _The red-haired woman has her face screwed up in exasperation as Leon completely skips over giving her a decent introduction. She pouts, huffing like a child as she shakes her head and dismisses Leon with her Yamper’s help._

_“That man always has his head in the clouds,” she says with a scowl, rapping her emerald-painted nails on the tip of her left elbow. “It’s no wonder he gets lost so easily. Oh, but where are my manners? My name’s Sonia. I’m just the research assistant of Professor Magnolia. Or her granddaughter. Take your pick. It doesn’t matter either way.”_

_Gloria doesn’t worry over the implications of Sonia’s words or the way the woman wears at her bottom lip. Instead, she finds a stubborn nagging of curiosity enveloping in her mind as she watches how Sonia hands her a PokeDex from her hands and produces a Rotom. The electric being is more than happy to zip inside of the device, buzzing with excitement, but Gloria is more focused on how envious she is of the fire latched in Sonia’s hair and the cherries that decorate her lips._

_“Pokemon are wonderful things, yeah?” The woman continues, tucking her hands into the pockets of her yellow petticoat jacket and humming. Her words lack in sincerity almost like she’s performing some sort of speech, and Gloria watches as the woman’s gaze wanders far, far away. “They can take you great places. Just look at Leon. He’s the Champion of the entire region because of them. Look at Gran. She’s the professor everyone adores and admires because of them. And me…?”_

_Sonia pauses, closing her eyes and releasing a small sigh as her eyes lose their luster when she reopens them. Gloria watches the way the woman’s shoulders slump, watches the way Sonia’s lips tremble for a millisecond, but she doesn’t know what to say or think, only watches as this woman continues, talking to herself as she says:_

_“Well, I’m nothing more than Gran’s deadbeat assistant because of them.”_ )

“Meowth got your tongue?” The woman offers, her eyes still a sparkling green. Gloria finds herself trapped in those dazzling emeralds, counting the many facets of them even as the woman pulls back. It's only for a moment - a brief, fleeting moment full of hopes and dreams - but Gloria swears she sees recognition in those eyes of polished jade. “I don’t mean to scare you. Merely curious, that’s all. It’s not everyday Leon decides to take a fledgling under his wings. Much less _two_ at that.”

Gloria stares at her, uncertain of what to say. She merely stares at this woman, waiting, her gaze searching for answers, looking into the lines of her face, mouth opening to ask about-

“Well, regardless, it’s nice to meet you, Gloria.” The lady gives a tired smile, the same kind of smile Gloria is always used to seeing. The knowledge of that sends her stomach burning in bitter disappointment. Of course, this woman is still the same as everyone else. What was Gloria thinking? That this woman would change just for her? _Ridiculous._ “My name’s Sonia.”

The words fall from Gloria’s mouth before she can stop them. “I know.”

Sonia tilts her head. “You do?”

“I, ah, Leon said your name before,” she rushes to cover her mistake with a fluster of words. “I figured he must’ve been talking about you. After all, you both looked pretty familiar with each other when you walked in the door and I couldn’t help but think that maybe…well…sorry if my assumption was wrong….”

The woman’s lips perk upwards, face alight in amusement for a moment’s glance as she nods her head. “Well,” she says, “quite clever, aren’t you? You’ve got that much correct. Leon and I _do_ have some history together.”

“We’re childhood friends, yeah,” Leon puts his hands behind his head. “Sonia used to keep me from getting lost when we were younger. You could say she was the Yamper to my Wooloo, honestly. Without her, I probably would’ve walked into Glimwood Tangle and never come out of that place ever again.”

“Hardly the way to give a proper introduction, dontcha think?” Sonia rolls her eyes at the man, oblivious to the way Gloria’s stomach suddenly rolls with nausea. The woman turns to her, a hand spread flat on her chest as she says: “I’m Sonia. I work here as the professor’s assistant. I’m also her granddaughter too but, well, you can just think of me in any way you like.”

The woman moves with a specialized form of self-deprecation. Her face is tight with insecurity despite the way her aura projects nothing but confidence: a frequent mask she wears in the presence of total strangers. Gloria’s heart shudders in her chest, betrayal burning at the back of her throat as the woman offers her a hand.

She takes it, reflecting Sonia’s perfected smile with one of her own. “My name is Gloria,” she says, searching the woman’s face for any remnant of that emotion she saw once before. However, Sonia only tilts her head when Gloria fails to end the handshake. Gloria does so, watching, waiting, scanning _, believing-_

Any hope she has in her chest is quickly crushed when Sonia turns to Leon. The action is so dismissive, so obvious that, then and there, Gloria realizes her suspicions have all been instantly denied.

“Where’s Hop?” Sonia asks the man beside her. “Did he finally pick up on your bad habit of getting lost? Or, did he just race on ahead?”

Leon laughs at that. “He was already on Route 2 when I last saw him. I imagine that means you’ve got some catching up to do,” Leon winks at Gloria, grinning, and then turns to his childhood friend. “Now, what was it you wanted to talk with me about?”

The woman gives a nervous smile, twisting her red hair with one finger as she tilts her head to the side and says. “Well…” before looking at Gloria and going: “Ah! Before I forget! Let me fetch you a Pokedex!”

The woman tallies off into the depths of the lab, scurrying through a pile of books before she retrieves something hidden under a pile of papers. Then, Sonia returns to them, holding out an orange phone with a Rotom embedded inside. “Here.” Sonia says, reaching out with it. “For you.”

“Thanks.”

Gloria grabs the phone. Her fingertips brush past Sonia’s, lingering. Her gaze shoots upwards, watching Sonia. The woman tilts her head, letting the device drop into Gloria’s palm as she smiles a fractured smile.

“Oh right!” Leon says suddenly, jumping on the balls of his feet. He catches Gloria’s gaze, his grin becoming huger as he says: “I think my brother wanted me to tell you he’s going to be waiting for you at Professor Magnolia’s lab. You should hurry down to Route 2 if you want to catch him!”

Gloria bites her bottom lip. Something inside her is wobbling on the precipice of something dark. “Yeah,” she says, turning her back to the both of them as she grabs at the doorknob of the exit. “I’ll do that.”

Walking out that door feels like she’s given up on life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally planned to be a one-shot but uhhhh since I've recently discovered this fanfic will be too long to handle one-shot status, I've decided to start working on this in intervals instead. 
> 
> Other than that I don't have much to say? This is a fanfic im gonna be a bit cryptic with on what's going on but hjfghjfg I think it should be easy enough to catch on to what I'm trying to do here ;w;/


	2. Mortal Fools

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise I’m not a sadist towards my favorite characters. I _promise._

* * *

Gloria combs her way through the entirety of route 2, taking Nickit out of its Pokeball and working him with Sobble to grind. The two of them work in tandem, already used to the realization they are small and fragile, and the way they work in perfect sync is almost relieving. Gloria watches them numbly as they travel the dirt path that leads to the professor’s lab, flashing a smile when they shoot her worried looks and finding herself relieved when they continue on with their business.

Eventually, she recalls the both of them and then makes her way to the white picket fence of Professor Magnolia’s home, looking onwards at a towering house that is more akin to a mansion than a living space. Hop is already at the gate, a hand stroking the fleece of his Wooloo as he turns to greet her.

“Did you know? Professor Magnolia is the best professor in the region! She’s amazing! Without her, we would never have been able to figure out how to use Dynamax energy to power the entire region!”

Gloria smiles thinly at that, nodding at the explanation Hop gives her without warning. It is innocent in its composure, a mere thing meant to entertain her silent presence, but the words sink into her like barbs, stinging in ways Hop can’t even begin to imagine.

( _“This region is dying.” Says a man made from thorns and petals. “It has only thrived due to the power given from the power spots. Prosperity is endless as it is today but what about tomorrow? And three days from now? A month? A year? We cannot rely on that prosperity to guide us forever.”_

_“You’re mad!” Gloria cries out, screaming while restrained by men in uniforms that say Macro Cosmos._

_“I suppose my thoughts make little sense to the you who only sees the present,” the man’s gaze flicks to the boy beside Gloria. Hop bares his teeth at the figure formed from roses, thrashing wildly. “And to you who only sees the past, as well.”_

_“You won’t get away with this!” Hop snarls._

_And the man standing on panes made from sharpened glass hums to himself._

_“But of course,” he says, “I already have.”_ )

“Ah, hello there.” A voice withered by age speaks. Gloria watches as an elderly woman approaches them, leaning on a Corvisquire cane as she hobbles towards the gate. “Did my granddaughter send you here for something?”

Hop shakes his head. “My brother did, actually.” 

“The Champion?” Magnolia squints. “Whatever for?”

“Well,” Hop looks rather sheepish as he says: “technically you’re supposed to teach us the basics about Pokemon. But, I was hoping you could convince Lee to endorse us for the Gym Challenge instead.”

Magnolia huffs, snorting in her laughter. When Hop flashes her an inquisitive look, the woman gives a wry smile. “That one has been holding out on sponsoring you for years. He’s quite protective of you, you know.”

“I’m aware of that,” Hop mumbles. “But I gotta do this! I want to take on the Gym Challenge and beat my brother! And-” he looks at Gloria, beaming brightly “-I want to have Gloria to be at my side while I do it!”

The girl flashes the boy a smile. She hopes it’s enough to hide her fatigue from the boy as her traitorous mind thinks “ _You’re only making a fool of yourself_ ” at him.

“A keen thought,” Magnolia hums. “Well, when your brother gets his head on over here, perhaps I’ll treat him to a piece of my mind.”

“Really?” Hop jumps on the balls of his feet. “You’ll convince Lee to sponsor us?”

“Of course.” Magnolia opens up the gate that divides them, beckoning them on in as she hobbles towards her doorstep. Hop is quick to provide an arm to her, letting Magnolia lean on him as she guides their way. “That Champion is a stubborn man. But, I can promise you I’ll make him see reason quick enough.”

“Thanks a lot, Professor! Gloria and I are grateful for your help!”

“Think nothing of it, boy. This is merely my way of paying it forward to the younger generation.”

At those words, Gloria can’t help but fall behind Magnolia, watching with unease at the way the woman twists the yellow cord of her spectacles. There is something sharply familiar about the sight, a tugging memory, and Gloria winces at the recollection that comes following the simple gesture.

( _“Where are you going in life, girl?” Magnolia’s cold gaze falls upon Sonia, sharp green eyes piercing into the woman as Gloria watches from afar. “Leon has become the Champion of the region. Raihan and Nessa have become Gym Leaders. But you...what purpose do you have in life right now, Sonia?”_

_The woman looks like she’s biting her tongue, gaze pointedly turned away from her grandmother even as she tenses. “I know, gran.” Sonia gives a sharp sigh. “I know that my life is meaningless as it is right now.”_

_“So fix it.” Magnolia twirls a finger around the yellow cord of her glasses. “Do something with your life. Anything. But don’t keep up this charade of being my assistant any longer. We both know it isn’t doing you any good.”_

_“I know that!” Sonia shouts. Then, as if taken aback at herself for losing her temper, Sonia sinks into herself, muttering, “I know I need to change. But I can’t, I just can’t. No matter how hard I try I always end up failing.”_

_“So take up my research. You can always do that.”_

_Here, Sonia’s voice strikes like a knife made from ice, beautiful yet deadly. “You and I both know that is_ **_never_ ** _going to happen.”_

_The red-haired woman spins on her heels, anger alight in her green eyes, before she takes notice of Gloria. She smooths over her face in an instant, frustrated crinkles giving way to ones formed from fake cheer._

_“Gloria!” Sonia calls, waving a hand in greeting. The woman rushes over to her, ignoring her grandmother’s calls for her as she takes Gloria’s hand and says: “You haven’t seen the sights and sounds yet, have you? Here, let me show you!”_

_And the girl lets herself be whisked away by Sonia, hesitation strong in her form as she glances back at Magnolia._

_The elderly woman stares back at her, gaze falling as she twists a finger around the cord of her spectacles, eyes glistening like she’s about to-)_

_What a mess,_ Gloria thinks absent-mindedly. _How dysfunctional._

“Do you two mind a cup of tea?” Magnolia asks as they enter her into abode. “I don’t get guests very often. So, I have more than enough to go around.”

Her friend is quick to answer. “I can never say no to some tea!”

Gloria enters into a room devoid of everything but a staircase, a coat rack, a wooden floor, the door to a closet, and two doorways. She slips off her shoes at the entrance, following in Hop’s example as she toes off her brown sneakers and places them at the right of Hop’s own. 

Nodding in approval, Magnolia guides them to her kitchen. A square table filled with six chairs sits at the center, surrounded by the sight of potted plants and polished countertops. A fridge hums in the corner, minding its own business, while a silver oven counts down the minutes as Hop and Gloria take a seat.

Two cups of tea are readily brewed and set before them as Magnolia takes a seat across from them, her cane placed atop her lap as she sips from a glass of water. Gloria accepts her cup, sipping nervously from it as Hop greedily swallows his own, drinking like he’s never drunk Earl Gray before.

“So, how are things up in Postwick?” Magnolia drinks from her glass in time with them. “I hear some strange things have happened there recently?”

No doubt that that’s something she’s heard from Leon about.

“We met some strange Pokemon.” Hop says, leaning forward with excitement wild in his eyes.

 _The Legendary Pokemon of Galar,_ Gloria almost adds. But she doesn’t. Because doing so would be a mistake and Gloria...Gloria does _not_ make mistakes.

“Oh?” Magnolia tilts her head. “Do tell.”

“Well, we were in the Slumbering Weald, me and Gloria, looking for a lost Wooloo you see and-”

Gloria tunes out her friend to listen to the drone of the world around her. Hop retells a story she has heard many times before, speaking with a passion Gloria once shared with him. He rambles onwards, heedless to Gloria’s lack of input, and concludes just as soon as a knock sounds at the door.

“Just a second, you two.” Magnolia shuffles to the door, pausing at the entrance to let in two figures Gloria can recognize by voices alone.

“Hop!” Leon says, no doubt grinning that dazzling grin of his. “I see you made it here! And Gloria too!”

Hop twists in his seat beside Gloria, a smile wide on his face as he waves to his brother, shooting him two thumbs-up as he responds: “Sure did!”

“Lovely,” Sonia’s voice chimes in after them. 

Gloria tries not to stiffen as Sonia and Leon join them at the table, Sonia taking a seat to Gloria’s right just after Leon takes the seat to Hop’s left. Magnolia fetches two more cups of tea, placing them in front of the pair and then reclaiming her seat across from Gloria.

“Hop here was just telling me about his trip into the Slumbering Weald.” Magnolia continues. “Seems he and Gloria here encountered a Pokemon we’ve never seen before.”

“That he did.” Leon folds his hands together over the horizontal surface of the dining table. “I had a talk with Sonia about it already. Sonia?”

Gloria avoids looking at Sonia as the woman nods in the corner of her vision. “Yes. Right. Well. I was trying to find a record of that Pokemon according to what Leon has told me of it. But I haven’t found anything on it. I was thinking that maybe you might know something about it?”

A hand falls over Gloria’s mouth to restrain a snort of bitter laughter. It’s somehow hilarious how Sonia looks to her grandmother for support, nails rapping on the tabletop as the question leaves her blood stained lips. 

Oh, how Gloria wants to turn to the woman who sits beside her, to dig her nails into the flesh of this apparition before her and sneer at the unfairness of it all.

( _“Zacian and Zamazenta,” Sonia says, reading from a book as old as time itself. Dust permeates the steel cover, spiderwebs decorating the pages as Sonia flips through them, her perfectly manicured nails coming up with threads of cobweb woven across her nail polish like bleach stains. “They say those were the names of the heroes who stopped the Darkest Day.”_

 _“They were?” Gloria asks, leaning over the woman as Sonia pours through the book. “But how did they do stop the Darkest Day? How can_ **we** _do it?”_

_Hop is at her side, his elbow touching hers. His eyebrows are furrowing, his gaze distant as he stares at Sonia, waiting._

_“I’m…” Sonia starts, her bottom lip wobbling as she closes the book shut, “I’m not sure.”_

_“What?” Hop nearly slams his hands down on the table laid before them. “What do you mean you’re not sure? You should have the answers, shouldn’t you? You’ve spent our entire journey’s time researching into this mess and - what - you’ve now got_ **nothing** _to show for it?”_

_Hop’s anger is uncharacteristic of him. Sonia and Gloria both give him looks of fright as he shouts at the top of his lungs, anger pinching his face. His nails are digging into the wood of the creaking table laid bare before them, oblivious to whatever splinters he’s sticking into himself as he shakes his head._

_“I’m sorry,” he says, exhaling sharply as he digs his fingers into his scalp._

_Sonia and Gloria share a look. “It’s alright, Hop,” Sonia murmurs, always playing the role of the adult in the room, always strapping the world to her shoulders. “I know how hard this is on you. I promise you that I’ll find the answers.”_

_Here, Hop’s face flickers with another bout of frustration. “Find the answers_ **how** _, Sonia?” He snaps. “Those heroes of yours are long dead! They would have passed away a millennia ago!”_

 _The woman pinches the bridge of her nose, a look of irritation crossing across her own face as she scowls. “They had_ **holy weapons** ** _,_ ** _Hop. If we can just find those than we could-!”_

**Smack!**

_Hop’s hands slap down on the tabletop, stunning Sonia completely into silence. The boy curls his lips, golden eyes nearly murderous as he rakes his nails across the old wood beneath him. “You’ve said this,” he begins, “you’ve said this so many times before, Sonia. ‘We’re close, we’ll get there!’, ‘The weapons must be here, I know it!’, ‘We’ll find what we need, I promise you!’...and what have you got to show for all your vows, Sonia?_ **Nothing** , _that’s what.”_

_Gloria finally feels her annoyance catching up to her as Hop leans over Sonia, anger alight in his gaze, and Sonia stares back coldly, almost daring him to do something he’ll definitely regret._

_Fearing the results, Gloria grabs the back of Hop’s coat, forcibly yanking him away as she puts herself between the two, glaring down at Hop as she says: “Back off.”_

_Flashing her a disgusted look, Hop shoves away her hand. “Oh, don’t take her side!’’ He snaps. “We all know you’re only doing it because you want her to fall in love with you.”_

“ **Hop!"** _Sonia shouts at the same time Gloria shoves Hop into the jutting corner of a metal wall. But Hop doesn’t listen to Sonia’s pleas and takes to swinging a punch at Gloria. The girl dodges, kicking at his legs, and it takes little time for them to be clawing at each other like children, biting and snapping until Sonia thrusts them apart._

“ **No more!** ” _She says, the angry sob in her voice giving enough notice to wake Gloria and Hop from their senses._ “ **Please,** ” _Sonia begs, “no more.”)_

Professor Magnolia leans back in her seat, sipping from her glass in musing. Sonia, Leon and Hop are all watching her with expectant stares, leaning forward in their seats to await a reply. Gloria doesn’t follow their actions, however, merely playing the part of an interested party as she leans back and awaits Magnolia’s answer.

“Well,” Magnolia sighs, “I’m afraid I don’t have an answer for you.”

“What do you mean by that, Gran?”

Magnolia adjusts her spectacles. “There’s nothing I know on the topic.” She frowns. “However, there have been stories.”

“Stories?” Leon asks. “What stories?”

“About two monsters who live in those woods.” Magnolia shakes her head. “However, the Pokemon you saw are likely native to that part of the region. And rather reclusive, too. You’re not the first to wander upon them.”

Hop furrows his eyebrows. “We’re not?” 

Magnolia’s gaze flicks to Sonia’s. “No, you’re not. My granddaughter has seen them too.”

“I have?” The red-haired woman blinks rapidly. “When?”

“When you were a child, dear.” Magnolia smiles lightly at her. “Don’t you remember?”

Sonia’s gaze, while full of surprise, flickers with something Gloria can’t quite catch. The woman bites her bottom lip, slumping in her seat as she shakes her head. “I don’t.”

“You made quite a fuss. If I remember correctly, you could hardly go one minute without hugging your mother’s leg. It was quite the sight. You couldn’t leave your beloved Stufful doll behind for even a second without-”

“Alright! No more!” Sonia swipes her arms out before her, wiping away an invisible image as she sinks her hands into her face. “Let’s _not_ bring up any embarrassing childhood stories I don’t remember, _please_. We have a more important topic at hand to discuss, after all!”

“I suppose we do.” Magnolia sips from her glass. “However, like I said before, I have no further answers for you on what Hop and Gloria saw. That said,” Magnolia looks at Hop and then to Leon, “I believe this young dear here has me asked me for a favor and, now that you’re here, Champion, I intend to make true on that favor.”

The man groans, shooting a glare at his younger brother. Hop gives a sheepish smile back, rubbing the back of his head, before Leon shakes his head firmly. “I haven’t given my little brother my permission to take on the gym challenge yet. And I won’t. So my answer is still ‘no’, professor.”

“Don’t be so hasty,” Magnolia chides. She settles her glass back down on the table, eyeing the man with keen insight. “After all, didn’t you promise me once that your dream was to let every trainer chase after their goal of being the strongest? What makes Hop so special you can’t allow him the same ideals?”

Leon leans back in his seat with a sigh. “I hate when you make me rethink things like this, professor.” He runs his fingers through his hair, shaking his head. When he looks up, his gaze meets that of Gloria’s and Hop’s, his golden eyes sparkling with a reluctance that Hop is sure to miss. “Very well.” He says. “I’ll give you both my endorsement.”

“You will?” Hop jumps out of his seat with stars in his eyes. He leans over to crush his brother into a hug, missing the way Leon’s hand tightens into a fist on the wood of the table before them.

Gloria watches the exchange with a forlorn sip of her tea. She stares into the pool of liquid amber quivering before her, watching the tea shudder in its container as she contemplates. Her fingers trace the rim of the cup absently, unable to focus on Leon and Hop as Hop thanks his brother profusely, declaring he’ll become the best, and Leon hides his hesitance behind a perfect smile.

“Isn’t this exciting, Gloria?” Hop asks, releasing his brother to overlap her hands with his as he beams. “We’re going to be Gym Challengers!”

“Yes,” she says. “We are.”

“We should celebrate!” He says, urging her out of her seat, tea cup still in hand. His grip is gentle, kind even, and yet some inner part of Gloria churns with turmoil. “Let’s battle!”

“A battle?” She asks, keeping her voice the picture perfect pitch of a teen asking an innocent question. “Why? I don't want to.”

Hop frowns at her, furrowing his eyebrows. She maintains her act of nonchalance, not quite not willing to admit her fears in front of the people staring. 

Her best friend (or, soon to be best friend), however, gives her a pout. “What do you mean you don’t want to battle?” 

His disappointment sends Gloria’s heart fluttering with guilt. She bites her bottom lip, hesitating, when a hand lands on her shoulder. She tries not to flinch when she realizes the nails of the limb are dyed an emerald green. 

“Hop,” Sonia’s voice rings pleasantly, as the woman comes to Gloria’s side. “You shouldn’t push people to battle when they don’t want to.”

The boy slumps before her, all his exuberance dissipating, and it only makes Gloria feel _worse_ for turning him down.

( _B_ _ut then she remembers how Inteleon’s head was blown off his shoulders. She remembers how Thievul was slain by a blade of steel jabbed into his brain. She remembers how her other four Pokemon were cut down like obstacles blocking someone else’s path. And she finds she can no longer think of battling without fighting a panic attack that intrudes into her system.)_

“I understand,” Hop says, picking himself up with a wobbling smile. He tries to look nonchalant about her dismissal, hands behind his head, but Gloria can see the way he’s hiding his hurt with feigned cheer. “Sorry, Gloria. Guess I got caught up in my excitement and didn’t realize how you were feeling.” He scratches his neck. “You don’t have to battle me if you don’t want to.”

Sonia’s hand squeezes Gloria’s shoulder lightly and the girl shoots her a glance. The woman stares at her, watching, and then releases her hand with an apologetic look. Sonia retreats backwards, placing her arms behind her back as she turns to speak with her grandmother. Gloria watches her go, unable to feel anything as the woman walks away.

She then turns to Hop, opening her mouth to speak to him, but finds he has already turned away to discuss things further with his brother, tugging the man’s cape as Leon leads him outdoors. Sonia follows after them, Magnolia at her side, and Gloria stands all alone as the four leave her behind.

( _But she is always alone. Everyone has left her. She’s the last one._

_Well, she won’t be the last one anymore.)_

A stray tear falls from Gloria’s cheek. She wipes it away, ignoring the way her chest tightens as she follows them out the door.

“Well then,” Leon says, leading the group to the front yard of Magnolia’s house. “If I’m going to endorse you, I should give you the rundown. After all, you can’t quite go off on a journey without knowing the rules of the Gym Challenge.”

“Aw, really?” Hop pouts. “That stuff’s elementary though, Lee! Every kid in Galar knows what the rules of the Gym Challenge are!”

“Yes, I know that,” Leon grins, “but if I don’t at least give you the rundown then Chairman Rose will have my head.”

Gloria’s breath hitches in her throat at the name. 

At the same moment, however, something red glistens in the sky. A sparkle of blood trails across a sky darkening with blues and purples. Gloria watches as two pieces of sparkling ruby fall to the ground, fluttering to the feet of her and Hop.

She stares at the glistening piece of crystallized blood, bending down to pick it up. She looks over it, her gaze blank, but she finds she cannot deny what it is that sits before her.

“A Wishing Star,” Magnolia hums, inspecting the crystal in Hop’s open palm and harrumphing in surprise. “Well, I’ll be. It looks like you two have been chosen.”

Gloria almost laughs.

“Chosen?” Hop tilts his head.

“When a Wishing Star falls at your feet,” Magnolia says, “it means you’ve been selected because you have a wish you want to obtain.”

“Really? Then does that mean my wish of beating Lee will come true?”

( _Hop stands with tears in his eyes, rain slickening his hair down against his face. He’s rubbing at his face with his arms, the whites of his eyes gone red as he sniffles. Gloria approaches him, reaching out for him, but her hand is slapped away._

_“I don’t need your pity!” He shouts at her. His shoulders shudder as he keeps rubbing his face with the sleeves of his jean jacket._

_The red stone on the band on his wrist sparkles with a dull red light. As if sensing Gloria’s gaze on it, Hop pulls the band from his wrist and throws it at the ground._

_“What use is this thing?” He growls. “What use is it if my dreams have been stolen from me?”_

_“I don’t know,” Gloria says. And means it. “I just don’t know.”_ )

Left reminded of mistakes made long ago, Gloria clutches that Wishing Star in her hand, gripping it tight with such anger that her hand turns white. 

She wants to throw it to the ground, to crush it beneath her heel and snarl at the idea that its wishy-washy lore is meant anything more than to be an insipid little fairy tale. 

“Cursed little star!” She wants to shout. 

“What is there to wish on when everything around me is a lie?” She wants to scream, to yell until her voice can yell no more and the suffocation in her throat dissipates at long last.

“Gloria?” Magnolia stands in front of her, swirling the yellow cord of her spectacles around a finger. “Do you mind handing me that Wishing Piece of yours?”

The girl blinks, masking the shuddering hatred she feels for the thing in her hands as she plasters on a smile. “Whatever for?”

“She’s going to turn them into Dynamax Bands for us!” Hop says, jumping on the balls of his feet as he stands proudly at Magnolia’s side. “We’ll get to Dynamax our Pokemon just like Lee does!”

_(Mistake._

_This is a mistake._

**_Dynamaxing_ ** _is a mistake.)_

“I see.”

Gloria hands the Wishing Star over to Magnolia. The woman takes it with a nod, promising its safe return, and Gloria has to bite her tongue from suggesting she wants otherwise. 

When Magnolia shuffles off, intent on transforming the Wishing Stars into something awful, Leon, Sonia and Hop come to her side.

“It’s going to take all night to make those bands,” Leon says, clapping her on the shoulder and shoving her gently forward. “Don’t worry though, I’m sure you can stay the night until they’re done.” He winks. “After all, Sonia’s got a pretty cute room that I’m _sure_ she won’t mind sharing for a night.”

Leon looks over to Sonia and the woman huffs. “You make it sound like I’m running a hotel room or something.” She puts her arms on her hips, looking over Gloria. “But I’d rather not send you home all alone when dark is about to hit. If you want to stay the night, I don’t mind sharing. You can even take the bed if you want.”

The girl opens her mouth to deny the offer when a sudden wave of longing injects itself into her. She digs her nails into the sleeves of her gray sweater, biting her bottom lip. Unable to fight the festering emotions in her heart, Gloria dips her head in acceptance, allowing herself to be whisked off by Sonia into her house and up a flight of stairs. The woman is smiling brightly, her fingers intertwined with Gloria’s as if to suggest everything in the world is alright, but Gloria can’t help but notice the way Sonia’s lips are strained upwards, stretching against the fabric of her skin. 

“My room’s a bit messy,” Sonia apologizes as she stands in front of her door, a hand on the polished golden knob as, across from them, Leon and Hop meander into a nearby guest room. “But I hope you won’t mind.”

The woman sheepishly opens the door, beckoning Gloria in, and the girl walks into a sight she’s all too familiar with.

A room made from pink meets her gaze. Sonia enters after Gloria, making her way around the room as if to show if off without speaking. The woman brushes her long nails against the plush magenta sheets of her bed, the brown wood of bookshelves filled to the brim with novels and magazines, a desk full of papers hastily stuffed into drawers of pencils and erasers, and a giant board full of sketches expertly drawn. 

“It’s...not much,” Sonia says, completing her journey by taking a seat on her bed. The woman sheds her yellow petticoat jacket, placing it on the bed, and then invites Gloria over with a wave of her hand. “But if you don’t mind sleeping here, I’m more than happy to let you take the bed.”

Gloria joins the woman. She already hates herself for agreeing so readily to Leon’s proposal, tensing up whenever Sonia looks over her. The girl grabs her hat from her head, wringing it in her hands as she places it in her lap.

“I don’t mind the floor.” She says in sincerity. “You can take the bed.”

Sonia frowns. “No, I’ll take the floor. You can have the bed.”

“I’m fine with the floor, though.” Gloria holds up her hands as Sonia squints at her. “Really, I am!”

There’s a an exasperated sigh. The woman reaches out a hand to plop down on Gloria’s head, open palm resting on the curve at the back Gloria’s head. Fingers run through Gloria’s hair, running through threads of brown, and she can’t help but lean into Sonia’s touch with a smile.

_(Sonia pats her head. Sonia pats Gloria’s head and smiles. Gloria leans into her touch with a carefree hum._

_When Gloria looks up at the woman, however, Sonia is no longer looking at her. Instead, she’s looking at something far away, gaze lost on something endless._

_And then Sonia’s eyes shatter, the emeralds trapped inside cracking into pieces, and the warmth Gloria feels from the woman’s hand fades away into nothing.)_

Gloria realizes she’s preying on an instinct she shouldn’t have and she tenses, turning her gaze to meet Sonia’s. However, she notices that the woman has already fled from her side to pull out a futon from underneath the wooden structure, dragging the pink mattress out to unfurl on the floor. The absence of her hand makes Gloria’s head feel frostbitten.

“I’m taking the floor,” Sonia says. When Gloria opens her mouth to respond, Sonia shakes her head firmly. “I’m taking the floor and that’s _final._ You’re my guest here. I won’t subject you to the cruelty of itchy carpet.”

Gloria huffs at that, unable to offer any other response than: “Well...if you’re sure…”

“I am.”

“Then okay. I’ll take the bed.”

Sonia beams at that, her argument clearly won, and Gloria is tempted to roll her eyes at the woman’s dramatics. 

“Great!” Sonia says. “Now that that’s all settled, how about I cook up a spot of dinner for you and the rest?”

The girl’s stomach grumbles and she flushes. “I would love that, thanks.”

“Come on then,” the red-haired woman beckons to her. “I’ll cook you up a dish you’ll _absolutely_ adore!”

Gloria giggles at that, following Sonia out. Sonia leads her down the staircase and she follows, her heart fluttering with a familiar feeling.

It’s nice, repeating conversations like this.

Gloria never thought she’d get to have them again.

* * *

Dinner ends as Gloria might expect it to. Sonia cooks up a storm, creating a glorious stench of curry that encases Gloria in a nostalgic warmth. Hop and Leon are quick to chat up a storm about Sonia’s cooking, praising it ceaselessly to Gloria, and the girl has to nod through their flattery with an awed smile as Sonia puffs out her chest in pride. Then, the woman serves them their meal (after first serving off a plate to her grandmother, of course, who had since secluded herself away in a basement downstairs), sitting down to eat with them, and they all dig in with gusto. 

Then, when goodbyes are said and Hop and Leon depart to their room, Gloria returns back to Sonia’s room with the woman at her side. Sonia talks a little about herself - “I used to be a Pokemon trainer, did you know? But I’m not any more. I let my team go years ago.” - and Gloria can’t help but note the little kernels of insecurity that dabble into her voice like drops of oil spilling into a puddle of water.

“I gave up on being Champion years ago,” Sonia says, slipping into the pink futon mattress she has prepared for herself. “Couldn’t make the cut. Not that there was any cut to make, mind you. Not when you’re best friend owns the whole league and hasn’t yet been defeated by anyone.”

Gloria slips into Sonia’s bed, nestling into the sheets. The scent of Sonia - the smell of lavender and wooded forests - lingers like some remnant of a dream. In a way, however, Gloria supposes this whole scene _is_ some remnant of a dream, a reminder of a life before and a life to live now.

That thought makes her stomach hum with nausea. Gloria squishes it down, offering Sonia nothing more than a smile as she watches the woman poke fun at herself. 

“Leon’s become the greatest Champion in all of Galar. He’s done so many things. Gran too. But me? Well, I haven’t gone anywhere special now have I?”

It’s a bit cruel to be forced to watch a spectacle like this. Gloria nods along to Sonia’s tangent, fingers curling into the blankets laid on top of her. Sonia carries on, oblivious to how Gloria’s face is scrunching up with pity, and ends her spiel with a dejected sigh.

“It doesn’t bother me, though.” Sonia says in the way only an obvious liar would, refusing to meet Gloria’s gaze and almost pouting. “I’m happy with my life as it is now. Why would I change that?”

The fake sincerity echoing in those words almost has Gloria shoving her covers away to hug her arms around Sonia’s neck. She wants to clutch this woman close, to murmur reassurances and to negate all of Sonia’s worries in one blow. But she can’t. And it hurts. It hurts to see how the woman before her is wearing a mask of indifference, disinterest, _apathy_. How Gloria wants to spill things she cannot and tell the woman that the world will be fine, that happiness still exists, that she doesn’t have to hide herself behind walls Gloria can’t reach any longer and-

“I think it’s time we get to bed,” Sonia says, softly. The woman has retreated from her futon to where the lightswitch in her room sits, a hand hovering over the white switch. Gloria wonders how she got over there so fast. She wonders why Sonia is looking at her with eyes akin to a stranger. There’s something awfully aggravating about that look. Gloria feels unnerved by it.

“Then…” The girl speaks, carefully, as if to not provoke the woman whose gaze is suddenly pinning the girl down into place. “I guess this is goodnight?”

Sonia nods. “Yeah.” She says. “It’s goodnight.”

The lights in Sonia’s room go off. 

Inside Gloria’s mind, however, a lightbulb flickers to life, dimly.

She ignores that lightbulb entirely.

* * *

In the morning, Gloria is awoken by Sonia and brought to her grandmother. Hop is already there, teasing Gloria about her messy hairdo, and she retaliates by pointing out the way his shirt is inside out, white tags teasing the beltline of his pants. Leon and Sonia offer up snorts of laughter at that, amused by the situation, and when the two fluster they are saved from further teasing by Magnolia.

“I’ve brought you both your Dynamax Bands,” Magnolia says, displaying two bands embedded with red stones. The sight of them makes Gloria sober immensely. “Use them carefully. There is much we don’t understand about Dynamaxing yet. And, it would do you both wisely if you use Dynamaxing only when the situation calls for it.”

Magnolia’s words sound like a warning. Hop, however, reads her words only like he might a text message. He holds his hand up in the air, admiring it. A huge grin is on his face as he moves the band to sparkle under the fluorescent light of the kitchen candles.

Watching the way Hop’s eyes light up in total awe sends Gloria’s stomach gurgling.

( _A giant Charizard. It stands tall, fire billowing from its mouth. Flames flare from its spine to form a giant set of wings, orange and white scales reflecting the glow from such a sight. The gigantimax Charizard roars, shaking the whole region with its bellow, before it plunges forward to tackle its opponent._

_Gloria watches as its trainer, a young boy with gold eyes, commands the beast with fury alight in his eyes. There is no mercy in that stare of his, no sympathy or guilt. Instead there is only calm locked within a storm, a haze of frustration and destruction pent up in pools of molten gold._

_Sonia’s hand lands on the girl’s shoulder as Gloria runs her fingers along the red stone of her band. The woman’s face is white with fear but her eyes are soft with a sympathetic kind of understanding._

_“Why won’t he listen to me?” Gloria pleads with the woman. “He needs to stop this! Right now! People are getting hurt!”_

_“Sometimes, Gloria,” Sonia murmurs with voice indulged in despair, “the only way you can accept reality is by lashing out against it.”_

_“That doesn’t give him the right to tear down the region with him!” She cries out. “Leon would never approve of this!”_

_Eyes made from emeralds sharpen with distance. And with loneliness. Guilt and betrayal, too. Sonia runs her fingers through her hair, releasing Gloria’s shoulder as the girl summons her Pokemon before her._

_Gloria doesn’t see the signs._

_She never does.)_

“This is so cool! With this, nothing can stop me from being the strongest trainer ever!”

Hop rushes off before anyone can get a word in edge-wise, spouting how he’ll be waiting for Gloria at the Wedgehurst Station. Leon grins at his brother’s enthusiasm while Magnolia and Sonia only offer up amused smiles. The three adults turn to her, eager to watch her reaction, and she does her best to put on a display of amazement as she stares at the cursed star now attached to her wrist.

“I like it,” she tells Magnolia. “Thank you, professor!”

The old woman hums. “You’re welcome, child. Now you should run along, dear. I’m sure Hop is waiting for you to catch up to him. And you too, Leon. I know you have an exhibition match with Nessa later in the day. And, I’d rather the chairman not chew me out for hold you back again, if you mind.”

Leon flashes the professor a wince. “Right then.” He turns to Gloria. “It was nice meeting you. Hope we get to catch up again soon. For now, however, this is goodbye!”

The man exits the house in the same fashion as Hop: youth in the bounce of his every step and a grin on his face. Gloria watches him leave, almost amused by the air of cheeriness that he leaves in his wake, before Sonia is already stepping in to politely gesture Gloria after him.

“You know where the Wedgehurst Station is, yeah?” The woman asks. And before Gloria can even answer that question Sonia continues with a wink and says: “Best not keep him waiting then. Off with you now.”

A gentle hand guides her to the door. It closes behind her. She turns around, blinking, and finds with exasperation she has been kicked out. She fumbles at the entrance, uncertain, before she dallies on forth and slips through the winding path of Route 2 to get to the Wedgehurst Station.

There, Hop greets her with a brilliant grin, taking her hands and leading her into the station. They board a train car together, taking a seat at a booth, and Hop is quick to launch himself into an explanation of the Wild Area. She listens half-heartedly, playing games on her phone, but her friend doesn't seem to notice. And when they pull up at an different station due to a flock of badly herded Wooloo, the boy is quick to make an adventure out of the situation they've found themselves in.

“Let’s go explore!” He says, gesturing to a landscape of hills, valleys, lakes and forests. “There’s so much to see and do here! How can we not take the time to enjoy it?”

“Keep in mind,” a melodic voice says, “that the Wild Area is a dangerous place.”

Hop positively _jumps_ as Sonia appears behind him, his eyes bulging from his sockets before he collects himself to huff and appraise her. Curiosity lingers in his gaze as he watches her, tilting his head as he asks: “I thought you were staying behind at the lab? What changed?”

“My grandmother changed,” Sonia scoffs in return. She reaches up a hand to fiddle with a coil of red hair. “She’s sent me off on some mission to explore the history of Galar. I’m her errand girl, if you will, since she has too much work to do at the moment to research more about Galar herself.”

Again with the tone of self-deprecation. Gloria restrains a wince as she murmurs: “Are you alright, Sonia? That sounds pretty harsh.”

The woman blinks at her. “Aw, are you worried for me?” A note of teasing echoes in her voice. “Don’t be I’m fine. Or, well, I _will_ be fine. Trust me. It’s been a while since I’ve stretched my legs and ran around the Wild Area. I’ve missed camping out there - truly!”

Sonia speaks as if she’s rambling off an excuse. Which isn’t a lie because it is one. Gloria knows. She remembers. Sonia isn’t as eager to trek through the Wild Area as she appears. Instead, she’s reluctant. 

Far too reluctant.

( _“You don’t have to tag along,” Sonia says as they pass under the canopy of a dense clump of trees. “You’re under no obligation to travel with me.”_

_“But I want to,” Gloria protests, sticking close to the woman as she follows behind. “Like you said, the Wild Area is a dangerous place. Isn’t it natural to want to stick with an experienced trainer like you to make sure I get to Motostoke safely?”_

_Gloria is spinning off excuses like they’re compliments. She’s rambling, desperate to cling to this woman whose hair burns like sunshine and whose eyes glitter like gemstones. She admires Sonia greatly. Can’t stop thinking about her. And, when finally gets the chance to travel with her? Hell to the yes, Gloria is travelling with her no matter the costs!_

_“I suppose,” Sonia purses her lips as she leads Gloria around a feisty-looking Orbeetle. Sonia’s only Pokemon - a Yamper in its youth - clings to her heels and snaps at Gloria, yipping at the girl whenever she gets too close to its owner. “But I’m not necessarily qualified in being able to guide you safely. I barely have a team of my own to protect you.”_

_“Doesn’t matter. I trust you.”_

_Sonia purses her lips. Gloria feels ice prick at her, wondering if she’s said something wrong. But then the woman pats her shoulder, smiling, and the girl is reassured that everything is fine with the world._

_But then they set up camp later that day, Sonia starting a fire while Gloria helps to assemble the tent. She fails in doing so, feeling frustrated and about to cry, when Sonia pats her head, bends down beside her, and begins to instruct Gloria on the proper placement of the stakes and tent structure. Gloria follows her guidance, working in tandem with Sonia’s words and assistance, and when she finishes the two of them collapse by the crackling bonfire and delay dinner for just a moment._

_It’s then that Sonia mutters, as if speaking inside her own head: “I don’t want to do this.”_

_And little Gloria stares at her, wide-eyed, instantly leaping to the conclusion that, yet again, she’s done something to upset this beautiful woman, when she notices Sonia curl her legs to her chin and her gaze drop._

_“Gran says I need to go on a journey. But, her and I both know it’s not worth the effort. I’m useless. A burden. This is merely just a vanity trip to reclaim whatever ego I’m supposed to have.”_

_The girl watches Gloria, listening but not quite comprehending. Instead, she’s too focused on the way Sonia’s face is scrunching up with wrinkles, how her eyes are glistening and her face is beginning to flush from unshed tears. Sonia has pulled her fire-sculpted hair from its ponytail, letting orange strands flow like a cape down her back, white heart accessories still trapped inside. The sight is almost ethereal in nature - a pure distraction from the melancholy of Sonia’s words as Gloria feels the urge to fiddle with those fire-snared locks or reassure the emeralds trapped in eyes made downcast._

_And she finds herself beginning a path of uncertainties when she says:_

_“It’s alright. You’ll find what you want in the end. I believe in you.”_

_And Sonia’s desperate stare, hopeless and waning, is enough to cause a tremble in Gloria’s soul.)_

As if Sonia’s reassurances about her excitement to trek through the woods has won him over, Hop grins at the woman and summons his Scorbunny. The little creature immediately comes to perch on Hop’s shoulder, rubbing at its nose, and Hop grins. He waves to the both of them, eager to trek through the expanses of the Wild Area, and then carries along, roaring a declaration of supremacy as he disappears into the beyond.

Left alone with Sonia, Gloria fiddles with the end of her sweater, looking at the woman before her. To her surprise, Sonia’s gaze meets hers directly. The woman is looking at her, watching her, and it’s enough to make Gloria want to shrink.

“Are you afraid of the Wild Area?” Sonia asks as Gloria does, indeed, shrink. The woman’s gaze softens. “If you want, you can travel with me to Motostoke? I’m not much for reassurance, but I do know my way around. And,” Sonia’s smile turns cat-ish, full of delighted amusement as she adds with a wink: “I can get you to Motostoke way before Hop will be able to get there, guaranteed.”

The offer is tempting. _Sonia_ is tempting. But Gloria merely adjusts her backpack straps, seemingly contemplating, before she shakes her head.

“I think I’ll go on my own, thanks.” Gloria says, hiding the unease in her voice with sharp politeness. 

She turns her back on Sonia before the woman can say anything, unleashing Sobble and Nickit and advancing through the reaches of an area she already knows. Her two Pokemon recognize the sights and sounds too, all too familiar with the area they’ve crossed too many times. However, instead of easing into the Wild Area with confidence (as she might have expected them to), the two cling to her feet, quivering with anticipation.

“‘The Wild Area is a frightening place,’” Gloria says, quoting, “‘But that’s how the real world is.’”

Sobble peers up at her, recognition in his gaze, and she can swear she sees the thing teasing her as he sticks out his tongue, chirping. She shakes her head, disagreeing, and Sobble’s look of disbelief has her bending down to pick him up.

“This world is terrifying,” she muses, cradling Sobble close as Nickit stands in front of her, keeping guard. “And we were not prepared for it.”

The way both her Pokemon look back at her, eyes lost in mourning, tells her that they, too, understand the message in her words.

_We were fools._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you think any of the characters here are OOC (as I’m sure Hop and Sonia seem at Very Certain points), don’t worry - there’s a narrative reason why they act the way they do. Any questions brought up here will be eventually answered when Gloria has Conversations with Certain Characters later down the road. Until then however, feel free to comment your theories on what’s going on. I'm certainly curious to know how well I'm doing with foreshadowing and what y'all think of what I've revealed so far.


End file.
